Stay Out of Court
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reports that its mediation program has a 72% settlement rate. In nearly half of the cases, the settlement involved a non-monetary benefit. Employees often want intangible benefits, such as:
- reversal of adverse employment actions
- fair opportunities for employment or promotion
- sensitivity training for their supervisors and co-workers
- policy changes that protect others from similar discrimination
- reasonable accommodations (e.g., for disabilities, religious practice)
- apologies, acknowledgment, and respect
Facilitated communication continues to repair and improve relationships, even if employment ends. It also reveals underlying causes of poor performance, and it creates new opportunities for success.
Combat Hostile Work Environments
A 2019 report by Paychex revealed what probably didn’t surprise many minority workers. “[H]iring bias against black and Hispanic employees hasn’t improved at all in over two decades.” A 2018 EEOC report indicates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) has also done little good over the past 50 years, and case statistics suggest the same regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Further, retaliation remains an issue in approximately 50% of all EEOC complaints.
It appears people haven’t developed the skills necessary to work with people who seem different from them. Rather than developing the necessary skills, they are actively or constructively terminating the people who speak up about inequities.
Rather than learn about your hostile work environment when you receive a claim from the EEOC, New York State Division of Human Rights, or the New York City Commission on Human Rights, you can start cultivating an environment today that invites employees to share and resolve concerns.
Prepare for the Most Diverse Generations
More Americans younger than 44 years old are members of minority groups, and they want workplaces where they feel welcome and respected. That’s what most workers want, but the ways we created that experience 40 years ago probably won’t be as effective going forward. Seventy-two percent of Baby Boomers are white, and many of the policies and procedures in place were implemented under implicit biases. It usually wasn’t intentional; implicit biases are hidden from us. Yet that’s no excuse for continuing to do things the way they have always been done. It might also negatively affect your bottom line and competitive advantage.
Testimonials
[T]hank you for making this informative and interesting. As a funeral director and educator with a past life in the corporate world, I expected to go through a grueling two hours of torturous boredom, but you presented in a way that kept me [] engaged and interested…it is vitally important. Thank you so much for your candor and informative approach to this training. ~ C.B., Faculty Member, NY
The feedback from the attendees was very positive and we really appreciated [ ] listening to the two courses you gave. I learned a great deal as well. ~ M.K., Funeral Director, NY
I’ve been in the industry for decades and taken many CEU courses. You are simply the best! ~ J.A., Faculty Member, NY